Technical Difficulties

My apologies to anyone who might have been looking for a new post!!  I have been computerless since the weekend.  I finally got the chance to open my email and I had 95 new emails in my inbox!!  

Don't you love it when your hard drive crashes and your mom starts to worry cause you are not answering your emails or your phone? ( I was talking on the other line... helloooo?)

Anyway, I'm back online and I will try to do some catching up tomorrow.  I know that there is some super stuff out there in the great wide bloggy world that I need to read. 

Just for Fun Friday

Don't you just LOVE it when........

...you realize that the tuna concoction and the cantaloupe you ate for lunch wasn't very satisfying but the Thin Mints were? (please tell me you know what a Thin Mint is)

...you have been running on the treadmill for what seems like ages, and the display shows 0.35miles?  What? seriously?  are you kidding me?

...you find out the next day, that NOW the display doesn't work at all?

...you realize that the load you put in the washer 2 days ago, .... is still in there? bleh!

...you have recently discovered the wonderfulness of oreo cakesters and  then find that the 100 calorie packs have been picked clean at the grocery store (just like the commercial said they would)?

...you have a broken refrigerator and it takes a week and a half for the guys to get it fixed?

...you think your broken scale is a good thing, until you realize the new one is worse?...ha!

...you  take the time to make a wonderful batch of muffins for your sunday school class, you try one, and then your dog tries the other 11 while you are fixin' your face in the bathroom?

These make me laugh.  I'm having so much fun with this, that I might have to make these appear on a regular basis.  Have a great weekend!

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. 

Prov. 17:22

Wordless Wednesdays

Homecoming

The picture below was drawn by my mom's good friend Joan Jolley.  If you would like to see the original photo you can visit Michelle's blog.  This was taken before I became a blogger:)!

Yesterday was 3-9-09.  I thought about it all day.  4 months ago on this day, my husband returned home from his deployment. I thought about how God was merciful and brought my husband home to his little family.  And about how God's strength got me through this very long year.  And I thought about how I should be sharing testimony  and the enemy whispers...."it's old news, nobody wants to hear about your drama"  and "move on cause they are tired of hearing about it" etc etc   A different kind of war, but a war indeed!

How is it that ONE year can shape destinies? shape friendships?stories? hearts? Deserts? Villages?  eternity?

Burning Bushes people, Burning Bushes!!!!  (from a previous post)

I haven't really blogged much about it yet, and those that know me best know parts of this testimony already.  So today I will just keep it simple, but I promise to share some more about the journey of this past year and give God the glory.  There is a lot in my tender heart and to share those parts  will take time.   

I sought the Lord and he answered me;

he delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant; 

their faces are never covered with shame.

This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;

he saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps around those

who fear him, and he delivers them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good;

blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Psalm 34:4-8

 

Thankful Thursday

(I tried to put the button here, but it didn't work):)

Today, I am especially thankful for:

• the bracelet that arrived today in the mail.  I won a blog giveaway and received a beautiful bracelet!
  
• the other surprises that came in the package.  Melanie sent me a book that I haven't read yet and a pretty plaque.
  
•  the 4 inches of snow that we had on Sunday!  Haven't seen good snow in a long while.
  
•  the chance to run in the sunshine today while wearing  shortsleeves!
  
• the whole day to myself. 
• the privilege of coming before my heavenly Father in prayer and lifting up those who I know are experiencing difficult or scary times.
• the opportunity to be openly involved in two bible studies with other ladies at my church.  I live in a country where I can do that.....
• my new blogger friends who keep taking me back to the Word and who will never truly know what their sharing has done for me.....

Blessed Day!!

For more Thankful Thursdays please go to Grace Alone.

About an Exodus

My favorite class my senior year was AP literature, and  my favorite college courses included literature.... and archery.  Go figure.  Sometime during these early young adult years I came across a poem that so moved me, .... I  cross-stitched it for a friend!!  I just knew she would like it also. Otherwise, I kept it sacredly hidden.   It became my "life poem"  if there could be such a thing.   The poem is below, as best as I can remember it:

All the Earth is crammed with heaven 

and every common bush aflame with God

but only those who see take off their shoes.

The rest sit around picking blackberries

daubing their faces unaware....

E.B. Browning

As a Christian, I was of course instantly drawn to Exodus and the story of the burning bush.  Thus the title of my blog.  I wondered at first if she meant to paint such a spiritual picture, but later learned that Mrs. Browning was passionate about her faith.  She taught herself Hebrew so that she could read  the Old Testament text.  Imagine such a task!  This must have been quite an accomplishment for a woman in her day.  

If you really stop and look at this story in Exodus, you will see that Moses had to first stop and then go over and check it out.  He went to take a look.......Implies action.

I can distinctly remember those many nights staring at the ceiling with tears rolling down my cheeks,  crying out to God as only a teen can do........I so desperately did not want to be one of those people who missed the chance to stop and go look.  I didn't want to miss it......anything.. ...the instructions, the moments, the taking off the shoes.  I wanted the great wide unknown future to be filled with shoeless moments.   What an odd thing for a young person to be thinking about.  Or is it?  I don't know.

 Those were desperate, desperate heart cries. Cries that only the heart utters and only the Lord understands.   That was so long ago, but I still get teary eyed when I think of some of those ceiling staring moments.   They were Holy moments......when the ancient story of an exodus and a burning bush  collides with the heart of a poet, who then slips off her shoes...... and puts pen to paper.   Enter stage left,  the tender heart of a Georgia teenager and well.........the story is not yet finished!!

I'm  Not a teenager anymore.   Have I missed any of those "burning bushes" that the Lord wanted to share with me during my own Exodus?   I'm positive that I have, but hopefully not many.  My trip is not yet over.   I'm still actively seeking, stopping,  and looking, and trying not to be distracted by all the "berry picking" that goes on all around.  

 I like symbolism--can you tell?:)  

Have a blessed, shoeless, holy moment kind of week!!

 

The kid in the Oven

I was watching my child today and considering how  tomorrow he will be 11 months old and how quickly time flies.  Over the past two weeks he has  perfected his clap, his backwards wave, and his use of the sippy cup.  No more bottle!?!   He tries to sing the Elmo song.  He has experimented with the crab walk, as he is getting ready to walk any day now.  Today he decided that he did not like hot dog bites.  This is the first food that he has shown an aversion to, as he is normally a big pig.  He is transforming into  a little person!  Today his daily chats with the kid in the oven (his reflection) changed from just chatter to purposeful activity.  I watched him as he intently studied this kid.  When he waved, the kid waved.  When he laughed and clapped, the kid laughed and clapped back.  Then he held both arms way up over his head and laughed and laughed at how the kid in the oven did that as well.  It was quite a show.  The kid did whatever he told him to do, in perfect step, a perfect reflection.

I watched him for some time,  all the while wondering  about my own reflection.  Or to be more exact, the Lord's reflection.  Do I reflect the Lord's glory on a daily basis?  Is my transformation into his likeness pleasing to the Lord?  or do I stall more often than I should? Is that reflection perfectly in sync? Do I allow the Spirit to saturate every part of my being?  My journey to that perfect reflection is just that, a journey.   Long and slow and steady.  Sometimes stalled and stubborn.   Prayerfully  Seeking.......and only to be finally perfected when my journey is over.  Do you imagine an artist who lovingly adds the very last perfect brush stroke on that glorious day?!! (I do)  A perfect picture that can only give all the Glory to the Father!!

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2Cor 3:18)

Amen!